• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Feeling great after 20+ years - Pridgen protocol in Australia

Messages
14
Interesting. The study says that celecoxib is poorly soluble in water (and this usually reduces the absorption of drugs in general).

However, celecoxib seems to be soluble in ethanol (100 mg of celecoxib will dissolve in each 1 ml of ethanol), and quite soluble in oils (36.4 mg/ml for olive oil for example), according to this paper (see Table 1).

So the fact that the skin contains some oil anyway on its surface might promote the absorption. But you could also dissolve powdered celecoxib into some oil like Baby Oil, and then apply to the skin, and that should absorb better.

Note also that with the approach I used, which was to apply celecoxib powder to a large area of skin, that will increase the absorption (the larger the large the area of skin you use, the better the transdermal absorption).


Of course you will only know for sure how much you are absorbing if you perform a pharmacokinetic study, in which you apply celecoxib to the skin in a suitable carrier oil, and then measure the celecoxib concentration achieved in the blood.

No idea if it would be a suitable option, but my husband uses DMSO at work to enable solutions to be better taken up by skin samples - could something like that help with transdermal application?

Edit for spelling
 
Last edited:

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
No idea if it would be a suitable option, but my husband uses DSMO at work to enable solutions to be better taken up by skin samples - could something like that help with transdermal application?

Yes, the solubility of celecoxib in DMSO is even better, at 200 mg/ml. Though DMSO is not often used as a carrier in commercial applications because of the garlic-like breath that it often creates in people for several days afterwards. However, if you use high purity 99.99% DMSO, the garlic-like odor is less.
 
Messages
14
That
Yes, the solubility of celecoxib in DMSO is even better, at 200 mg/ml. Though DMSO is not often used as a carrier in commercial applications because of the garlic-like breath that it often creates in people for several days afterwards. However, if you use high purity 99.99% DMSO, the garlic-like odor is less.

That's good to know - hubby can purchase high purity medical grade via work... might just have to give it a whirl...

Trying to find a paper on DMSO itself for neuropathic pain after reading something on it... I'd be thrilled if I was no longer looking at long term oral NSAID's, but also wondering if DMSO could potentially replace the Cymbalta effect too.
 
Last edited:

valentinelynx

Senior Member
Messages
1,310
Location
Tucson
I am wondering what else one could do for gastric protection.

I found the following:

- Grape seed extract
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23710308)

- Linoleic acid, e.g. Grape seed oil, sunflower oil
(https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-75858-4_4)

- Blackseed oil
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2702910/)

- Licorice root powder or extract
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4673944/)

- Proton pump inhibitors

- Vitamin C
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1884640/)

- Vitamin E
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2517694/)

- Eradication of helicobacter pylorii if infected
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1884640/)

- Probiotics
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3422810/)

Actually, I take phenylalanine. It appears to protect the small intestine from the effects of NSAIDs. There is actually a drug in the pipeline (I think it still is...) that combines an NSAID (I forget which) with phenylalanine! Sorry I don't have energy to look up the links right now...
 

cb2

Senior Member
Messages
384
I do a lot of intermittent and longer fasting due to persistent high insulin levels despite keto or very low carb diet - as such I don't tend to take the Celebrex religiously as I won't take it on an empty stomach. I've noticed whilst off it that my pain increases again, but is more localised (mainly lower back). To be honest, I would say I don't take it more often then I do. Maybe a 35-40% overall rate.

I started noticing less pain within ten days of taking the Cymbalta, and more bursts of energy/clearer thinking/less fatigue about three to four weeks after starting the Pridgen protocol. I had to be wary of pacing myself, but what I found was longer and more frequent periods of feeling good, as opposed to a constant feeling of wellbeing. I also noticed differences in my fatigue levels within about ten days of Pridgen - starting to feel distinctly tired at the end of a day, rather than just overwhelmingly tired all the time, with no distinct ups and downs.

I don't believe I have had any worsening of symptoms.

I don't take any gastric protection, but have used grape seed in the past and think ill add it back in.

Hope this helps!


@CatMad do you find Cymbalta to be energizing? do you mind if i ask about your dose? thanks
cb
 

AngelM

Senior Member
Messages
150
Location
Oklahoma City
So very proud of you for not giving up or giving in to this miserable illness. You are a success story and we need all of those we can get. You tend to forget such things exist. Keep up the good work.
 
Messages
14
@CatMad do you find Cymbalta to be energizing? do you mind if i ask about your dose? thanks
cb

I started at 30mg before bed for a couple of weeks and am now on 60mg. I wouldn't say energizing in terms of keeping me awake, like say cortisone, B6 or zinc do to me, but I do think it has given me more energy. Now whether that is from a true Cymbalta created rise in energy as opposed to a reduction in energy expended on coping with the pre Cymbalta pain, I couldn't say. I guess either way, it's down to the Cymbalta!
 

cb2

Senior Member
Messages
384
I know dr. Pridgen says he likes cymbalta. @CatMad I was asking because in 2013 i tried it and at first it felt stimulating I took it in the am but later (3 weeks ) i felt zombified. I tend to have these reactions with antidepressants. I am glad to hear it has helped with your pain.. that is encouraging. My shrink has me trying trintellix at first no issue now even at a low dose 2.5 i just want to stay in bed all day..even when i take it at nite.

maybe i will try cymbalta I have some left over from 2013 and 2015.. i have some neck pain that I would love to be free of! yes pain can be exhausting. glad you have benefited and thanks for sharing the hope!
 
Messages
2
CatMad, I am interested in how you are going and which Dr you saw in Australia. We are also in Australia - our GP is willing to "try anything", but we need some direction. I have a 19yo that has had CFS it for 3 years. I recently attended the NCNED CFS/ME International Conference - alot of information about research into the causes, but no solutions yet. I made contact with a US Doctor who had success with a younger patient on a re-purposed alzheimers medication, but trying to get a response from him via email has not been successful.
 

Daffodil

Senior Member
Messages
5,875
i took valtrex for years and years with no help. i dont think i was on an anti inflammatory at the time. does that mean this protocol is unlikely to work for me? I got sick after what i think was EBV+HSV-1 infection